Virtual monocle interface for information visualization

ABSTRACT

A virtual monocle interface system comprising multiple interfaces for accessing, presenting, and interacting with multi-dimensional information objects is described. The information objects are visualized in multiple formats across multiple different display units, and displayed for the user to see in two dimensional, two-and-one-half dimensional, or three dimensional forms. The information objects can also be visualized using virtual reality.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.62/363,780 filed on Jul. 18, 2016, which application is entirelyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

There is an abundance of information available on the internet: somevery valuable and some worthless. The relevance and importance ofinformation varies from user to user, and over time the preferences of asingle user may change. Unfortunately, past preferences of the user areoften controlled by a backend system that the user may have no directcontrol over. For example, a search system may weight a user'spreferences based on the articles the user has viewed in the past, orthe preferences of the user's friend network. Unfortunately, theweighting of the backend classification system may or may not reflectthe actual interests of the user and thus may present substantial bias.The bias presented by the classifier of the classification system maymake it difficult to obtain information that best reflect the user'sreal interests.

Additionally, with the growth and abundance of available information,individuals find it increasingly difficult to engage with, store, andshare information. Although an increasing number of businesses andindividuals collect and organize complex digital content via theirelectronic devices, systems and methods for engaging with theinformation are not as easily adapted/customized to the preferences andneeds of the information consumer. Furthermore, the number and types ofdevices owned/operated by an individual user has grown in the absence ofa coherent system and method for integrating or combining various typesof such devices to provide users with synergistic benefits unachievablethrough a single device.

SUMMARY

A need exists for data visualization systems and methods that coordinatemultiple devices and display units to provide users with meaningful andinteractive engagement with information. For example, since devices comein various formats and form factors (e.g., personal computer, laptop,mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA)), and may include avariety of display units (e.g., dual-monitor screens, touch screendisplay), a plurality of devices can be arranged to better presentuser-curated content and further facilitate a more customized datavisualization experience. The terms “screen” and “display” are usedbelow to refer to display units.

More specifically, a need exists for systems that integrate and allowusers to customize their preferences dynamically, along with interfacesthat can facilitate presentation of information across multiple distinctdevices. Such configuration can enable digital “informationconnoisseurs” to curate their preferences and interests, allowing them,for example, to build a time-lapse representation of their interestswhile also providing a monocle (via a secondary device), which users canuse to interact with and visualize information in various formats.

The methods and systems disclosed herein are directed towards amulti-dimensional, multi-screen dynamic interface that providesimmersive and perspective interaction with datasets that may beconnected, related or diverse. A virtual monocle interface system maycomprise one or more devices and corresponding interfaces forinformation visualization. The virtual monocle interface system maycomprise two or more distinct computer rendered graphical userinterfaces (GUIs) configured for displaying relationships betweeninformation objects using various shapes organized within amulti-dimensional structure. The GUIs may be distinct from each other,presenting the same content in visually distinct forms. In someembodiments, a virtual monocle interface system may comprise two or morecomputer rendered GUIs displayed on two or more devices, and be deployedfor individual or collaborative applications to integrated diverse typesof information or content.

In some instances a graphical user interface may be configured toprovide information regarding a network of information objects. As usedherein, “information objects” may generally refer to data models forrepresenting information, wherein information may be represented as anobject. Each object can be depicted as a simple node in atwo-dimensional image on a flat screen or multi-dimensional (e.g., atwo- or three-dimensional (3D) structure depicted on a flat screen or ina virtual reality display); information objects can form a network,wherein the network of information objects can represent a databasecomprising a plurality of records, information, content or the like; aplurality of records may be linked or related using a mathematicalrelationship defined in a three-dimensional space, for example.

In some embodiments relationships between concepts are depicted as acityscape (or other contextual structural metaphor of the user'schoice), with buildings representing content as multi-dimensionalinformation objects, and floors within buildings as informationsub-objects. Information objects may be connected by edges, lines,roads, or other architectural features. Users may engage with theinterface by adjusting, traversing, and manipulating the views ofinformation objects in the system, for example, in response to usergestures. A virtual monocle interface system may further comprise aweb-browser plug-in, for collecting and curating information, or formonitoring and/or recording a user's website browsing history for lateraccess in a mapped or easy to navigate format.

A computer rendered graphical user interface for dynamic display,engagement, and organization of user-selected content may comprisemultiple planes (i.e., two-dimensional geometric surfaces) comprisingmulti-dimensional information objects; for example, a first planecomprising one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensionalinformation objects, and a second plane comprising one-dimensional,two-dimensional, or three-dimensional information objects. In someinstances a plurality of graphical elements (e.g., edges) may connectinformation objects in the first plane with information objects in thesecond plane. In some embodiments, a virtual monocle interface systemmay comprise a timeline, and selected content may comprise historicalevents and fictionalized historical events positioned along thetimeline. In further embodiments, the first plane may representhistorical events and the second plane may represent fictionalizedhistorical events. A method for representing content for simplifiedanalysis may comprise performing multiple steps using a virtual monocleinterface system. Steps may include selecting content from a database,displaying the content in a three-dimensional interface, sorting throughthe displayed content to curate, order, or select preferences; anddistilling content into an optimized set of sub-objects. Such a methodmay be applied to selected or curated content, and/or data collectedfrom a database that comprises content selected or extracted from one ormore websites. In specific instances, for example, content may includerecipes, and the optimized set of sub-objects may comprise a groceryitem shopping list.

In an aspect, a computer-implemented method for visualizing astructured, multi-dimensional dataset on multiple display units isdisclosed. The method may comprise: receiving, from a database, datasetsaccording to a user request, the datasets comprising a plurality ofinformation objects, wherein the plurality of information objects are aset of records linked or related using a mathematical relationshipdefined in a multi-dimensional space and wherein each information objectcomprises structured data including sub-objects; displaying, on a firstgraphical user interface of a first device, a first visualization of theplurality of information objects; determining, by one or moreprocessors, a subset of the plurality of information objects to bedisplayed on a second graphical user interface based at least on userinformation, user inputs, and information obtained from the first deviceand a second device; and displaying, on the second graphical userinterface of the second device, a second visualization of the subset ofthe information objects, the second visualization different in form fromthe first visualization.

In some embodiments, the first visualization is in a three-dimensionalspace. In some embodiments, the second visualization is in atwo-dimensional space. In other embodiments, the first visualization orthe second visualization is in a virtual reality environment.

In some embodiments, the plurality of information objects can berepresented in the three-dimensional space using aerial projections. Thesubset of the plurality of information objects can be represented in atwo-dimensional space, wherein the subset of the plurality ofinformation objects are flattened into a two-dimensional space andadditional contextual information related to the information objects areintroduced on the second graphical user interface.

The information objects can have different geometric shapes based atleast on the type of the information, the importance of the information,and user feedback or input. The geometric shapes may comprise barrels,cones, cubes, cylinders, ellipsoids, polygons, and pyramids.

In some embodiments, the more important information objects have largersized geometric shapes compared to less important information objects.The correlation among information objects can be visualized using edges,wherein the edges comprise lines or arrows.

The information objects can be repositioned and highlighted forvisualization of contextual information.

The plurality of information objects can be represented in a cityscapevisual format, wherein each information object is represented by abuilding structure and the structured data within each informationobject is represented as floors of the building structure. The firstvisualization may include building structures and the secondvisualization includes floors.

The first graphical user interface can be larger than the secondgraphical user interface. The second device can be a mobile device. Thefirst device can be a head-mounted display configured to project theplurality of objects in the virtual environment and wherein the subsetof the plurality of information objects are determined based at least onthe orientation and eye-movement of a user of the head-mounted display.

The second device can be a head-mounted display configured to projectthe subset of the plurality of objects in a virtual environment.

In some embodiments, the information obtained by the first device andthe second device may comprise orientation and motion data, wherein theorientation and motion data is obtained from sensors onboard the firstdevice and second device.

The dataset may further comprise a context array, the context arraycomprising data on the user including the user's identity, historicactivity, and preferences, and wherein the first visualization and thesecond visualization is based at least on the context array. The userinputs may comprise gestures. The gestures may comprise tap, double-tap,drag, pinch, press, swipe.

In another aspect, a virtual monocle interface system for visualizinginformation is introduced. The system may comprise: a databaseconfigured to store a plurality of information objects, wherein theplurality of information objects are a set of records linked or relatedusing a mathematical relationship defined in a multi-dimensional spaceand wherein each information object comprises structured data includingsub-objects; a first device comprising a first graphics user interface;a second device comprising a second graphical user interface; and one ormore processors in communication with a computer readable medium storingsoftware instructions that are executable by the one or more processorsin order to cause the virtual monocle interface system to: receive, fromthe database, the plurality of information objects corresponding to auser request; display, on the first graphical user interface of thefirst device, a first visualization of the plurality of informationobjects; determine, by the one or more processors, a subset of theplurality of information objects to be displayed on the second graphicaluser interface based at least on user information, user inputs, andinformation obtained from the first device and the second device; anddisplay, on the second graphical user interface of the second device, asecond visualization of the subset of the information objects, thesecond visualization different in form from the first visualization.

Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will becomereadily apparent to those skilled in this art from the followingdetailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of thepresent disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, thepresent disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, andits several details are capable of modifications in various obviousrespects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, thedrawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature,and not as restrictive.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in thisspecification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent asif each individual publication, patent, or patent application wasspecifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.To the extent publications and patents or patent applicationsincorporated by reference contradict the disclosure contained in thespecification, the specification is intended to supersede and/or takeprecedence over any such contradictory material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity inthe appended claims. A better understanding of the features andadvantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to thefollowing detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments,in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a multi-dimensional aerial display;

FIG. 2 illustrates a mobile application with a flattened contextualdisplay;

FIG. 3 illustrates a multi-dimensional aerial display with flattenedcontextual display providing content for components selected from amulti-dimensional aerial display;

FIG. 4 illustrates a multi-dimensional aerial display in free-floatingmode with a swirl feature;

FIG. 5A illustrates a multi-dimensional aerial display in planar mode;

FIG. 5B illustrates a combined multi-dimensional aerial display andflattened contextual display in taxonomy mode;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cityscape display mode;

FIG. 7A illustrates aerial display in selective examination mode;

FIG. 7B illustrates aerial display in selective contextual examinationmode;

FIG. 7C illustrates aerial display in contextual cohesion mode;

FIG. 8 illustrates flattened contextual display on the desktop of acomputer, with optional web browser integration;

FIG. 9 illustrates the use of a dimensional aerial display depictinghistorical fiction in planar mode;

FIG. 10 shows a computer control system that is programmed or otherwiseconfigured to implement methods provided herein;

FIG. 11 shows a computer control system with a head mounted display, orvirtual reality headset;

FIG. 12 shows a computer control system with a two-screen applicationconfigured with different 3D hierarchical displays of information; and

FIG. 13 shows a computer control system with a two-screen applicationconfigured with similar 3D hierarchical display of information using twoscreens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An individual's preferences for information reflect their interests andto some degree their daily life activities. Over time, the interests ofan individual may change, as they evolve and events shift theirperspective and interests. For example, an individual in his/her 20s maybe interested in college, sports and fitness. Ten years later, the sameindividual in his/her 30s may be in mid-management level at a companyand interested in leadership or he/she may start a family and theirinterests may include family, and child rearing. The same individual intheir 60s may instead be interested in gardening, or golf. A virtualmonocle interface system can allow individuals to carefully curate theirinterests as they advance in age and experience. The individual may thenreflect over their experiences and recall the events that led to keychanges in their experience over time.

Additionally, individuals increasingly rely on classification systems tohelp them search and locate information. Classification systems rely ona set of variables or features that have been selected to identifyinterests of the user. The features are extracted from the inputsprovided by the user, and the weights or importance of the features isiteratively refined over time, allowing the classification system to betuned towards the particular preferences of the user. In most instances,the refinement process occurs in the background, and a user may not evenbe aware of how their interests are being used to shape and modulate theinformation being produced. As a result, users may be subtly manipulatedor biased by the information they are provided. In some instances, biasmay occur due to bias built into the classification algorithm itself. Avirtual monocle interface system provides the tools for a user toconsciously create a dimensional representation of their interests andthus more carefully control and more evocatively display the informationthey are receiving.

Furthermore, in fields where domain specific knowledge is heavilyguarded (e.g., non-public, confidential, sensitive, etc.), a virtualmonocle interface system may provide a means for sharing informationbetween individuals in a secure and private manner, for example. Thissharing of information may be direct or indirect, it may be monetized ona pay per use basis, a subscription model or by other means.

Fields or industries in which an individual's knowledge of keyinformation can directly impact success or failure may place high valueon scarce information and the ability to forecast trends or underlyingcausal relationships. Such fields may include finance or academicscience. In finance, for example, the relevance and scarcity ofknowledge and information can have direct impact on market fluctuations.Knowledge may be obtained from a variety of sources includingobservations regarding the state of a particular industry, reports madeavailable through news sources, and awareness of various events that mayimpact a particular location or general confidence in the markets. Inacademic science, for example, information that is not readily availablecan potentially hold high value because the success of a scientist canpartially be based on the production of high quality publications. Inthe scientific domain, the knowledge may be accrued through experienceand exposure from conducting experiments and assessing the relativesuccess or failure of the experiments. Given different needs for ways tovisualize/interact with data in different domains, a virtual monocleinterface system can provide individuals with the tools to track andmonitor domain specific information and interact with information inways that promote and support new perspectives and views, as well asfacilitate the sharing of and collaboration around those views.

A virtual monocle interface system can provide users with the tools tobuild their interests into a customizable rendering, allowing them tocreate a multi-dimensional and/or multi-device rendering of theirpreferences and interests, and monitor those interests, preferences, andcollected content over time and through different interfaces, includingman-machine interfaces. A virtual monocle interface system provides thetools for a user to interact with news and information regarding theircurated interests using different interfaces for presenting the content.The interfaces may be displayed on the same or different devices,enabling the user to build a multi-dimensional/multi-device rendering oftheir preferences within one mode and view content related to theirpreferences in another mode. The multi-dimensional/multi-devicerendering may be provided by or shared with others. A virtual monocleinterface system may comprise multi-dimensional/multi-device tools thatallow users to curate their preferences and the content they interactwith. The virtual monocle interface system may help users with a varietyof information visualization/organization needs including, but notlimited to, tracking diverse information items relating to a complexproject, analyzing relationships, preserving personal memory records,aiding in hypothesis generation, and customizing content curation.

A virtual monocle interface system provides tools for a user to engagewith content using multiple interfaces and/or displays that can supportboth the big-picture, perspective or immersive views of the higher orderconnectivity of information, as well as the local connectivity or thedetails and specific information relating to a component of a network orinformation related to a particular feature of the network. A virtualmonocle interface system may comprise two or more interfaces, displayedon one or more screens. The two or more interfaces may presentcomplementary information from different perspectives (e.g. higher levelor network view on one interface and lower level detailed view on asecond interface). In some instances a virtual monocle interface systemmay comprise two or more screens. In some instances, each screen isassociated with a separate device. A first screen may depict athree-dimensional topographical or network view for displaying theconnectivity of information in a graphical way (e.g., with nodes andedges, wherein nodes may comprise information objects with discretegeometry and shapes, and edges may comprise lines, arrows, dashes, orother means of displaying connectivity between two nodes or among threeor more nodes). A second screen may present information that is similaror related to information displayed on the first screen, but in adifferent format or different method. For example, the second interfacemay be configured to display a different level of connectivity (e.g.,local connectivity around a specific object, or a shared feature that iscommon amongst the information objects, or details about a specificcomponent represented as part of the network of information presented inthe first screen). The first and second screens may be connected todifferent operating systems (e.g., a mobile device and a monitor ortelevision) or can be connected as part of the same operating system(e.g., in a dual monitor system). In systems where the first and secondscreens are connected to different operating systems, the screens andcontent may synchronize based on inputs including sound, images (e.g.photo, video), or other wireless communication (e.g. infrared,radiowaves, Bluetooth, etc.)

The methods, devices, and systems disclosed herein are directed towardsmulti-dimensional electronic environments equipped for engaged userinteraction. The virtual monocle interface systems disclosed herein maycomprise electronic devices, databases, applications, computer readablemedia, and a plurality of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that may beused individually or in combination to produce technical benefits tousers by providing them ways to visualize, interact, manipulate, and/orengage with datasets in ways not possible on a single user interface ornot possible by merely connecting multiple interfaces or screenstogether. Virtual monocle interface systems may be configured such thatusers may engage higher order processing and analysis through theassistance of the visual and tactile senses.

In describing different embodiments of a virtual monocle interfacesystem, certain terminology is utilized for the purpose of clarity. Suchterminology is intended to encompass the recited embodiment, as well asany equivalents. Reference is made in the following detailed descriptionof the embodiment to the drawings accompanying this disclosure. Thesedrawings illustrate exemplary embodiments in which the invention may bepracticed. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilizedand structural changes may be made by one skilled in the art and inlight of the disclosure, without departing from the scope of the claimsof the present invention.

It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended calms, thesingular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “asurface” includes a plurality of such surfaces, and a reference to “anobject” is a reference to one or more information objects andequivalents thereof, and so forth.

System Introduction

The methods, devices, and systems disclosed herein are directed towardsa multi-dimensional hierarchical displaying of information using two ormore screens conjointly as a “virtual monocle interface system” thatcomprises multiple devices and multiple interfaces that work together tocreate a unified tool set for engaged user interaction with connectedand related datasets.

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise two or more devices andcorresponding device screens or interfaces for presenting content. Thedevices may comprise two or more distinct computer rendered graphicaluser interfaces (GUIs) configured for displaying the relationshipsbetween information objects using shapes organized within amulti-dimensional structure (e.g., 3D structure). The GUIs may bedistinctly different from each other, presenting the same content inmeaningful yet visually distinct forms. Forms, as used herein, maygenerally refer to one or more features of representing informationobjects. Three-dimensional view, for example, may be a different form ofrepresentation than flattened, two-dimensional view. Image is also adifferent form of representation than text. In some instances, twodevices may each have a screen, and a first screen may act as a visualmap of a network of information objects, while the second screen can actas a “monocle” in a sense that the second screen can provide additionalcontext to the information presented on the visual map of the firstscreen. For example, if multiple layers exist in the data structure ofthe information, then the first screen may present a visual map of onelayer of the information, whereas the second screen may be configured topresent another layer of the information for a sub-set of theinformation presented in the first screen.

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise interactive electronicenvironments where users can engage with information represented asmulti-dimensional information objects for various purposes, including,but not limited to, simplifying concepts, identifying or organizing newinformation, arranging or re-arranging existing information, obtaininginsights from collected information, and the like.

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise interactive applicationsconfigured to operate the second screen, wherein the application canexpand the field of view within or between multiple layers ofinformation. Virtual monocle interface system applications may beconfigured for viewing information contextually on a secondary screen,while the primary (or the first) screen is still visible for the user.

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise databases, applications,computer readable media, and GUIs that may be used individually or incombination to produce a multi-dimensional environment for interactingwith content in a dynamic way, and in a way that is not technicallypossible by using only one device or by merely combining display unitsto form a multi-screen unit. For example, while one GUI (e.g., a desktopmonitor) may display a visual map of multiple information objects,another GUI (e.g., a mobile phone display)—which is interconnected viathe virtual monocle interface system—may be used in conjunction to viewother layers of an information object or hidden information, notdirectly visible on the desktop monitor.

Virtual monocle interface systems may comprise devices with standardelectronic displays, monitors, or screens in two dimensional ortwo-and-one-half dimensional formats. Virtual monocle interface systemsmay be integrated into virtual reality enabled devices that may renderthe virtual monocle interface in what appears to the user and functionsfor the user as a three-dimensional virtual environment.

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise two devices, of which afirst device may be configured for rendering a network view through adimensional aerial display and a second device may be configured fordisplaying a flattened contextual display. In an aerial display,information objects may be displayed as one or more multi-dimensionalstructures comprising information objects that, to the viewer, appear tofloat in space with intersecting structure, shapes, edges, lines orother features, and/or convey intrinsic relationships within thecontent.

A user may engage with content in the dimensional aerial display throughwhich the user may view the entire network of information objects andselect a sub-network of information objects or an individual informationobject for investigation/analysis. The selected sub-network orindividual component may then be displayed on a second device in aflattened contextual display wherein individual components orinformation objects are viewed relative to their local connectivity.

A computer rendered GUI for dynamic display, engagement, andorganization of user selected content may comprise multiple planescomprising multi-dimensional information objects; for example, a firstplane may include three-dimensional information objects, and a secondplane may include two-dimensional information objects. In someinstances, a plurality of edges may connect information objects in thefirst plane with information objects in the second plane. In someembodiments, a virtual monocle interface system may comprise GUIscomprising a timeline on one screen, and content selected from the onescreen may be displayed on the second screen as historical events andfictionalized historical events. In further embodiments the first planemay represent historical events and the second plane may representfictionalized historical events.

A method for representing content for simplified analysis may compriseperforming multiple steps using a virtual monocle interface system.Steps may include selecting content from a database, displaying thecontent in a three-dimensional interface, sorting through the displayedcontent to curate, order, or select preferences; and distilling contentinto an optimized set of sub-objects. Such a method may be applied toselected or curated content, and/or data collected from a database thatcomprises content selected or extracted from one or more websites. Inspecific instances content may include cooking recipes, and theoptimized set of sub-objects may comprise a grocery item shopping listrequired for those recipes. The selecting step may occur on one device,where the information is presented on a dimensional aerial display andthen rendered on a second device where individual components or selectedcontent is viewed in a flattened contextual display. In other instances,content may be viewed on the flattened contextual display and the usermay rotate or select through the local items or sub-networks beforeelecting to view the larger network connectivity in themulti-dimensional aerial display.

In some instances, a dimensional aerial display may be configured fordisplaying a network of information objects as 3D structures, with the3D objects originating from content stored in a database. The databasemay comprise a plurality of records, wherein the records may be linkedor related using a mathematical relationship that may be defined in a 3Dspace. In some embodiments relationships between concepts are depictedas a cityscape, with buildings and similar structures representingcontent as multi-dimensional information objects and floors withinbuildings as information sub-objects. Information objects may beconnected by edges, lines, roads, or other architectural features. Usersmay engage with the interface by adjusting, traversing, and manipulatingthe views of information objects in the system, for example, using oneor more types of user gestures. A virtual monocle interface system mayfurther comprise a web-browser plug-in, for collecting and curatinginformation, or for monitoring and/or recording a user's path thoughwebsites he/she has browsed for later access in a mapped or easy tonavigate format. Selection of content in the dimensional aerial displaymay be rendered in another device and viewed on a flattened contextualdisplay; alternatively, content selected on the dimensional aerialdisplay may be viewed in the dimensional aerial display.

Content from various sources including websites and databases, may beaccessed and stored as information objects. The virtual monocleinterface system may be configured to retrieve/obtain and transform thecontent from various sources into information objects. The informationobjects may be connected spatially and presented using a coordinatesystem. The coordinate system may be used to establish or representrelationships between the information objects; for example, closelyrelated content or information objects may be depicted spatially closerto one another (i.e., shorter distance between any two informationobjects).

Users may engage with content loaded in the virtual monocle interfacesystem through movements including typing on a keyboard, clicking amouse, moving a joystick, tactile feedback including gestures, eyemovements that are tracked and auditory commands. A user may alsoexecute functions such as optimization, estimation, and organization ofinformation objects and data. A virtual monocle interface system may beintegrated with other applications to allow the user to curate, monitor,organize, and/or analyze content from existing databases or sources. Avariety of interfaces may be integrated into the virtual monocleinterface system, and used separately or in combination.

Devices and Screens

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise two or more screens,wherein the screens may be of identical or different sizes, shapes,format, quality and the like. A first screen may be larger, equallysized, or smaller than a second screen. In further embodiments, the twoscreens may show different aspects or views of the same content. Forexample, the content may be depicted as a network, sub-networks orinformation objects with different aspects of the network displayed ondifferent devices (e.g., two or more dimensional aerial displays, or twoor more flattened contextual displays), in other instances the contentmay be displayed in different views, where content is represented usingdifferent aspects or features of the same body of content (e.g., amulti-dimensional aerial display and a flattened contextual display orany combination thereof).

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise two or more screensconnected to one or more devices. Screens for displaying content may bephysically connected to the same processing unit (e.g., in a dual-screensetup), or connected to separate processing units (e.g. one screen partof a laptop and another screen part of a user-operated mobile device). Auser may interact with the screens using physical gestures. Screens maybe touch screens, wherein the user may interact with one screen andcorresponding changes may be visible on alternate screens.

A virtual monocle interface system may be configured to detect andrespond to the movements of a user, the orientation of the device, ortactile feedback from the user. Such feedback may allow the user to movebetween content presented on a single screen or between displays ondifferent screens. Movements of the user or orientation of the devicemay comprise tapping, shaking, flipping, accelerating, dropping, orotherwise moving the device. Tactile enabled mobile, desktop, or laptopenvironments may be equipped with touch sensitive displays. In thesedevices a virtual monocle interface system may be configured to engagewith the user; examples of tactical engagement may include variations ofuser touch, including the degree of force applied by a user, the rate oftapping, directional motions or gestures including flicking, sliding ina particular direction, or orienting the device. Tactile engagement maybe used to interact with, record, access, or change one or more featuresof an object depicted on the display or the settings for displayinginformation on the device.

In some embodiments, a first screen may be configured to display abroader network view of the content (e.g., multi-dimensional aerialdisplay with different information objects and concepts displayed in alarger network) and a second screen may be configured to display a localnetwork view (e.g., a flattened contextual display showing only a nodeand local or first-degree edges or connections). A user may switchbetween the displays, using the multi-dimensional aerial display to geta big picture perspective of the information—including the globalstructure and connectivity of information objects within the dataset—and then selecting an information object of interest. Theinformation object of interest may then be viewed on a second screen.The second screen may display specific details regarding the informationobject of interest, including its local first-degree connections.

Dimensionality and Virtual Reality

A virtual monocle interface system may support multi-dimensional formatsor views. “Multidimensional” may refer to objects, elements, features,components, interfaces, formats, views and the like, that may bepresented as one-dimensional nodes or structures in two-dimensions,two-and-one-half dimensions, three dimensions, or more than threedimensions. For example, “multi-dimensional” view may comprise atwo-dimensional flat view, a two-dimensional view of a three-dimensionalarray (i.e., two-and-one-half dimensional view), a three dimensionalarray that can be rotated for viewing from various vantage points on atwo-dimensional screen, or a three-dimensional view in a virtual realityenvironment. Using multiple dimensions or perspectives enables visualrepresentation of mathematical relationship among critical information.

In mobile devices that are not virtual reality enabled, a virtualmonocle may be configured to support user needs, and thus optimize thelimited screen size of the mobile device. In these instances thecomplexity of the data may be distilled into a focused two-dimensionalview that can be interacted with dynamically using touch sensitivefeatures.

Complex information may involve a web of multiple relationships that maybe represented in two-dimensional, two-and-one-half dimensional orthree-dimensional forms. Information that is related in complex ways maybe better understood when juxtaposed in a single view in the context ofinformation interrelations. This information may be presented asinformation objects, which may include shapes with distinct features andphysical orientations that convey context and meaning through theirrelative orientation, as well as through their visual features,presentation, and forms. Humans naturally organize objects, process themand compute spatial relationships among them in three dimensions;therefore, a virtual monocle that represents complexity with spatialorganization that conveys significance and meaning may make it easierfor a user to organize, and process complex information, thus enablingusers to assemble content or navigate through the greater architectureand connectivity of information.

Virtual monocle interface systems may be used in combination withvirtual reality enabled devices and systems to create interactive userexperiences. A virtual reality enabled device may present a virtualmonocle as a virtual reality experience. The virtual reality experiencemay comprise three-dimensional images that appear to be life-sized fromthe perspective of the user, and the virtual reality enabled device maybe able to track a user's motions, for example head or eye movements,and correspondingly adjust the images of the user's display to reflectthe change in perspective.

In some instances, a user may use a virtual reality enabled device witha graphics card, to render the virtual monocle. A virtual reality (VR)enabled device may be part of an altered reality or virtual realityenabled system. A VR enabled system may comprise any device or systemcomprising one or more features for head tracking, motion tracking, oreye tracking. A VR enabled system may comprise a head mounted display(HMD) with a device comprising a VR enabled virtual monocle. The virtualmonocle may be configured to process information from external hardwareor devices, or sensor containing objects, including sensors or sensoryinput from virtual reality enabled paraphernalia including head gear,goggles, gloves, suits, and other sensor containing units. A virtualmonocle may also be configured for use with sensory enhancing devices orcomponents including headphones.

Information Sources and Connectivity

Information may comprise structured data wherein a central component hasone or more sub-components, and both central components andsub-components may be related in various ways. The central component orsub-components may comprise information objects.

Information objects may represent customizable content. The user mayinput information and data into the database using means of text input,or by uploading/downloading/synchronizing a catalog of directories,translated sound recording, news articles, web browsing, flagged items,to-do lists, or passive collection of actions or data. The personalizedpresentation and record may only be accessed by the user, oralternatively, can be accessed by any user. In still a furtherembodiment, the invention may save a memory of steps used by a user andrelational network.

A virtual monocle interface system may enable a user, in certainembodiments, to display a first set or first information object onto orinto a second set or second information object, whereby relationalnetwork connections found between the first and second informationobjects are determined. These identified connections are then presentedto the user as relevant facts, suppositions, inferences, suspicions,assumptions, beliefs, deductions, or possibilities. These identifiedconnections can also be mathematical relationships between theinformation objects.

Information in any of the disclosed virtual monocles may comprise acontext array. Context arrays may provide structure and help determinethe form of the display, priorities, activities, personal interests orpreferences of the user. For example, the form of display may bedependent on the schedule of a user, screen capabilities, date and timeof day, user identity, user selected primary context (e.g., the startingpoint or origin of the user's session), a pre-established list (e.g.,recall, past search, new search), activity (e.g., on their device at thetime of the session), planning (e.g., scheduled events or calendaractivities), and/or the written or spoken words of the users. Otheractivities that may influence the form of the display may include a userentered specific string, such as an existing node name or a searchstring, a user's preferences, and the type of viewing device (e.g.,smartphone, tablet, laptop, large monitor or multiple monitors).

User generated, curated, or collected data may be valuable butoverwhelming if the user does not have the means to organize and engageeffectively with the content. A virtual monocle may be tailored tocollect and curate data, to direct user input, and/or to collect dataincluding user generated content (e.g., through social media websites).Virtual monocles that support this need facilitate collecting,associating and engaging complex and multifaceted data by providingusers with tools that help organize and identify connections withinformation that is encountered in a more pliable and dynamic way.Photos, videos, audio, daily news sources, or user generated content maybe input, curated and cataloged in a relational database using a virtualmonocle, with dimensional properties of the content used to representshared features of the data. Examples of content may include contentextracted from websites, user accounts from web services, content sharedthrough social media, and content received from or sent to others suchas e-mail.

The system may further facilitate collection of information that ismultifaceted and resistant to linear organization. Multi-dimensionalviews and structural organization may facilitate a user's ability togain insights and perform discovery or experimentation and thus gainclearer perspective on the content. Information and related datacomponents may be represented as one or more multi-dimensionalstructures. In some instances, the information or units of informationmay comprise concepts, events, lists, people, places, things,directories, or any other forms of information. Edges may comprise anymeans of depicting connective, transitive or relational content betweeninformational units. Edges may include, for example, lines or arrows.Users may be able to represent and organize content or concepts inthree-dimensions (3D) or two-and-one-half-dimensions (2.5D) similar toorganizing content outside of the virtual context, and/or use touchsensitive features that enable users to kinesthetically engage withcontent. A virtual monocle may comprise features and functions thatenable a user to hide or reveal components of data, nodes, edges,clusters, plains or other single objects or clusters of objects orinformation.

Edges or lines in a virtual monocle may be colored or shaped to indicatethe nature of the relationship indicated by a line connecting twoinformation objects. For example, an edge may comprise a line or vector.The edge may indicate that information originating from one or moreinformation objects share some relationship with one or more otherinformation objects. In some instances, the degree of the relationshipbetween the two information objects may be indicated by the length,width, diameter, color, shape, brightness, texture, transparency,brightness, contrast, movement, or modulation of any of theseattributes, time of display, order of display, or other features thatmay convey or represent one or more important components of therelationship. Lines may be used with the method of the present inventionto represent a plurality of types of relationships or relationalnetworks, such as cultural, linguistic, genetic, familial, contextual,causal, sequential and other suitable relationship types existingbetween peoples, places, things, events, and ideas. Color, for example,and/or the thickness of a line may represent the different types ofrelationships that may be chosen by the user or by another user or anadministrator, or the like.

Information Objects

Data or information may be represented as information objects.Information objects may be represented as multi-dimensional shapes, suchas barrels, cones, cubes, cylinders, ellipsoids, polygons, pyramids,rectangular boxes, square boxes, revolved trapezoids, spheres, tori,trapezoids, or wedges. Information objects may represent a centralinformation object organized as a hub with information sub-objectsoriented around the central information object. An information objectmay be selected and expanded to reveal multiple sub-objects. Variousfeatures of the central component or sub-objects may be represented bythe size, shape and/or the dimension of the sub-objects. For example,the dramatic significant of a character in a play may be depicted as ascalar relation to the height, diameter, radius, width, length, volume,surface area, color, texture, transparency, brightness, contrast,movement, or modulation of any of these attributes, time of display,order of display, or other features that may impact the visual detectionof these information objects.

Data or information may be unitized and organized into collections ofnumerous information objects and/or information sub-objects, and thecollections may be organized as a function of a particular sharedvariable (e.g., time or significance). In some instances, the numerousinformation objects or sub-objects may be associated with otherinformation or sub-objects through one or more structural relationships.Associations between the data or information may be intrinsic, oralready specified by the user, or they may be latent and awaitingpending affirmation by the user. The data or information may comprisesequential data, wherein content is related in a discrete order orrelationship. In some instances, the order or relationship may betemporal. In instances where a temporal dimension is relevant toinformation objects, the objects may be presented along with or orientedwith respect to a particular designated, or labeled, axis or dimensionwithin the virtual monocle. In instances where the dimension istemporal, one or more points within a time range or time interval may bepresented along an axis or a timeline with the position of time objectsoriented in a sequence that corresponds to the temporal relationshipbetween the objects, relative to the axis or timeline defined within thevirtual monocle. Time intervals may comprise the past, the present, orthe future. In some instances, data or information may be located orarranged on some other directional axis such as traversing a paththrough labeled points or defined intervals. In some instances,information objects may be displayed as layers, with respectiveorientation between the layers representing a relationship relative to aparticular feature.

Information objects may be prioritized or organized with respect to ashared variable, order, sequence, or feature. These variables, orders,sequences, or features may include: newness (e.g., a recent arrival orcurrent event relative to older arrivals or less current events), timelyrelevance or urgency (e.g., a reminder, alarm or deadline), degree ofintrinsic interest (e.g., one of a chosen set of topics on whichinformation is sought), linkage to other items of continuing priorinterest including a new arrival or current event that is related to anexisting interest, and a high rating or ratings by some general orspecific group, including recommendations from trusted persons.

Virtual monocle interface systems may present information or content asan image with a series of multi-dimensional information objects (e.g.,simple nodes, two-dimensional, two-and-one-half dimensional, orthree-dimensional information objects). Information objects may beorganized as a series of floating, connected, nested or latticed shapes.Discrete shapes or layers may be presented as substantially transparent,not transparent, or some combination or degree of transparency. Theorientation of the information objects may be fixed into a dimensionalarrangement with coordinates that convey additional information.Orientation (e.g., left to right, up to down, foreground to background)may convey a variable or common relationship, for example, time orsignificance. In other instances, the transparency of an object mayconvey information about time, relative relationships, significance, andthe like.

A virtual monocle interface system may be integrated into a web browserthat may enable users to easily perform functions, including estimation,classification, and optimization. Functions may be performed using datacollected or selected from outside data sources. Outside data sourcesmay comprise databases and websites the user has access to, has visitedand/or marked or designated in some way. The content may have beenassembled, collected, and stored by the user and/or compiled from itemsthat the user has highlighted, underlined, or otherwise selected fromindividual websites they have visited or from websites that have beenflagged.

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise applications that may beused to assemble catalogs of easily accessed information. For example, avirtual monocle may be used to assemble a cookbook that may bereferenced based on ingredients that the user has in his/her kitchen orgarden that the user has digitally catalogued. Alternatively, the usermay use a virtual monocle to assemble a shopping list that may enablethe user to cook the greatest number of dishes (e.g., a subset ofselected recipes), using the smallest number of ingredients. A user mayselect and store a series of recipes in a database or flag/label (e.g.,bookmark or otherwise call-out/distinguish) or select (e.g., highlight,cut/paste, etc.) content from a series of websites on the internet. Therecipes and ingredients may be cataloged by an executable fileconfigured to render content in the virtual monocle. The virtual monoclemay present the recipes based on sub-objects (e.g., ingredients),metadata (e.g., the last time the user accessed the recipe), oruser-supplied content (e.g., the last time the user made the recipe, andsome metric for how much the user likes the given dish). The catalog ofrecipes may include for example, ingredient lists from one or morerecipes or cooking websites. The system or virtual monocle may compile asingle collected list of recipes and the corresponding ingredients forthe given recipes. Users may use the virtual monocle to represent therecipes and the collective individual recipe components into amulti-dimensional array based on given features (e.g., the proteinsource in a dish, other classification including type of dish). Usersmay then assemble or collect the items in the list in accordance withtheir interest in a particular recipe. In further embodiments, the usermay be able to use the interface to assemble and organize the recipes oringredients in a multi-dimensional view, in order to create an optimalshopping list—for instance, one that would allow them to create thegreatest number of their preferred recipes using the fewest number ofitems.

Interfaces

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise one or more interfaces(e.g., graphical user interfaces (GUIs), web-based user interfaces,command line interfaces) to represent or depict content to the user.Interfaces may represent and depict information in different ways, andmay be used together or separately for different purposes. A user may beable to toggle between the interfaces, to use one single interface andhide other interfaces, or may be able to use multiple interfacestogether as part of a single display or multiple displays. A virtualmonocle interface system may use the GUIs or interfaces to presentinformation accessed from one or more databases, applications, computerreadable media or websites to a user.

Multi-Dimensional Aerial Display

Virtual monocle interface system may comprise a multi-dimensional aerialdisplay, which resembles or depicts a multi-dimensional landscape fordisplaying information objects in 2.5D or 3D. Multi-dimensional aerialdisplay may also be referred to aerial display in multi-dimensions oraerial projections in multi-dimensions. In a multi-dimensional aerialdisplay, one or more information objects may be depicted as floating inspace within an arrangement, structure, or architecture (e.g., web,lattice, matrix, network, cityscape, etc.), such that the structure andorientation between information objects conveys relative or relationalmeaning. Information objects presented in a multi-dimensional aerialdisplay may or may not be connected. For example, information objectswith related or relevant information may be shown with an edge or edgesconnecting one or more other information objects. Edges may depict abroad range of information regarding the connectivity of the informationobjects.

A multi-dimensional aerial display may comprise a feature that allowsthe user to navigate and trace paths or elect to stop at a particularobject or edge to better examine specific details or relationships. Auser may be able to follow a path from object to object in a pre-setorder established by outside information including user selected, usergenerated or trained content, which navigates through the structureformed by information objects, sometimes following existing connectionsand sometimes not. The structure of a multi-dimensional aerial displaymay be intrinsic to the information objects and their positioning; thestructure may also be user assigned, or designated by information fromoutside databases, content or sources.

The overall architecture and relative relationships among informationpresented by the information objects may be illustrated by the spatialorganization or connectivity of information objects in amulti-dimensional aerial display. In some instances, the structure maybe related to a layout above a virtual grid, beneath a virtual grid,behind a virtual grid, and/or on other sides including in front of oneor more of the information objects. In some cases, the structuraldepiction of relational data between the information objects may consistof markings on a transparent plane; it may be possible to view insideinformation objects or virtual grids.

A multi-dimensional aerial display may comprise a two-dimensional,two-and-one-half-dimensional, or three-dimensional surface with conceptspresented as multi-dimensional information objects. In a two-dimensionalview, a multi-dimensional aerial display may be viewed from a broadrange of orientations or perspectives, from any dimension or angle, frominside or outside the information objects. Information objects maycomprise a collection of transparent, partially transparent, ornon-transparent information objects. The information objects may bearranged into a latticed pattern or web, a parallel set of planes, ahierarchical tree, concentric nested information objects, or othertopographical configurations. In some examples, the topographicalarrangement can be viewed from the zenith, wherein the arrangement maybe represented as a crystalline-like latticed structure or web, a stackof planes, or a three-dimensional tree with leaves and branches; it mayalso be represented as a set of single-layer views, eachtwo-dimensional, through which the user may navigate vertically. In atwo-dimensional display of a three-dimensional image, an image from anyvantage point may be depicted as a two-dimensional representation. In athree-dimensional view in virtual reality, the user may view thestructure from any vantage point or navigate through the structure.

FIGS. 1-6, 7A-7B, and FIG. 9 illustrate various forms of visualizationavailable for the virtual monocle interface system, on one or more ofits multi-dimensional, multi-screen graphical user interfaces. The usercan choose one or more of the various forms and styles of visualizationsdescribed herein, and may also switch among them based on the user'spreferences and other factors also introduced herein. If one displayunit and graphical user interface adopts one form of visualization, theother display unit or the other graphical user interface may adoptanother form of data visualization. The combination of differentvisualization forms and methods may be adjusted or customized based onthe underlying content or the needs of the user, for example.

FIG. 1 illustrates a virtual monocle comprising a three-dimensionalaerial display (110) with a three-dimensional or virtual grid (105) usedto indicated the connectivity between a heavily weighted concept (115)related to or connected to a less heavily weighted (120) and several lowweighted—small or ancillary—concepts (125). The heavily weighted concept(115) is shown as connected to the less heavily weighted concept (120)through an edge (130), wherein edges can be depicted as lines or arrows.The weighting of the concept is directly related to the diameter of theinformation object used to represent the concepts. In some instances,weighting may represent the significance of a particular concept, withlarger dimensions correlated with greater significance and smallerdimensions correlated with less significance. Significance may bedetermined by features selected by the user (e.g., the number ofsub-objects within a concept), or may be based on the user's interactionwith the various information objects. In other embodiments, weightingmay represent the rating(s) or selection(s) made by the user. In yetother embodiments weighting may be dictated by the recurrence of theconcept or the significance of a concept to another variable (e.g.,time). A three-dimensional aerial display may be reordered orreassembled, in response to a change in selected features. For example,FIG. 1 may depict the significance of information objects (115, 120,125) relative to the 19^(th) century resulting in a first informationobject (115) having more significance (e.g., greater weighting andlarger dimensions) than a second information object (120). A user maychange the aerial display settings to indicate the 21^(st) centuryresulting in the second information object (120) having moresignificance and thus greater weighting and larger dimensions than thefirst information object (115). In some instances, changing the settingmay also change the connectivity of the information objects, forexample, resulting in the disappearance or appearance of edges (130).

A multi-dimensional aerial display may comprise a graphical map ofinformation objects and relational information that the user mayinteract with in space. The information objects may be collected andarranged according to their relationships; for example, informationobjects may be represented as nodes and two or more information objectsmay be connected by edges, such that the edges convey information.

A multi-dimensional aerial display may be rendered on any sized screen,of any electronic device (e.g. mobile device, tablet, computer monitor,laptop monitor, desktop monitor, television). In some instances, it maybe rendered on multiple screens and/or on multiple devices (135). A usermay use gestures, touch, forces of touch, rate of touch, mouse movementsor clicks, joysticks, arrows, or other means of moving networks,sub-networks, information objects or other components around.

A multi-dimensional aerial display may be used to retrieve data andrecords from a database. Retrieved data may be used to establishrelationships between data and records by using a multi-dimensionalaerial display to connect the data and records. In still anotherembodiment, information, data, records, lists and the like, may be inputby the user and not be modified by another user. In the alternative, theinputted information, data, records, lists, and the like, may be curatedand moderated or modified by another user. In other embodiments amulti-dimensional aerial display may be integrated into software systemsfor collecting, analyzing, and procuring information relative tomathematical relationships or user preferences.

Flattened Contextual Displays

A virtual monocle may comprise a flattened contextual display. A virtualmonocle may refer to the one screen or a device, among the multipledisplays/screens of the virtual monocle interface system, which isconfigured to visualize information objects in a differentiated manner.The flattened contextual display of the virtual monocle may beconfigured for presenting details of a particular data set, includingthe content of a particular object or edge, the connectivity orrelationships between data, the temporal arrangement of the data and/oran attribute of the displayed data. A virtual monocle provided hereincomprises at least one first object located on at least one surface, andat least one second object located on at least one surface, and at leastone line wherein a first endpoint of the line is associated with a firstobject and a second end point of the line is associated with a secondobject, and wherein the line represents a relationship betweeninformation objects. A plurality of information objects and linesrepresents a relational network and may be defined by a mathematicalmodel.

FIG. 2 depicts a mobile device (205) with a virtual monocle as describedherein with a flattened contextual display. The virtual monocleillustrated here can be part of the virtual monocle interface system,and the virtual monocle may be used in conjunction with the displayillustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a flattenedcontextual display for one or more information objects, the informationobjects which have been illustrated in FIG. 1. Information object “1”may comprise written details regarding object “1” in the top part of thescreen (210A), and the connectivity of information objects representedas two-dimensional shapes in the lower part of the screen (210B). A usermay select object “2” by depressing, touching, flicking, or anydetectable gesture on the screen or on the location of the screen whereobject “2” is displayed, and the information objects may reorientresulting in details for object “2” appearing in the top of the mobiledevice screen (220A), and the connectivity for information objectsconnected to object 2 being depicted on the lower part of the mobiledevice screen (220B).

Virtual Monocle with Flattened Contextual and Multi-Dimensional AerialDisplays

The disclosed virtual monocle may comprise one, or both of two primaryperspective displays: flattened contextual and multi-dimensional aerial.These two displays serve for perspective, and assist a user to monitor,organize, and preserve complexity in an orderly way and to navigatethrough the complexity. The two different displays may be configured tosupport different visual functions to solve the technical challenge ofdisplaying complexity on limited display space. A flattened contextualdisplay may be configured to enable the user to look into one or moreconcepts when screen space is limited and/or when the user wants moredetailed information. A flattened contextual display may have variousformats, ranging from compact for a cell-phone, restricted to the cornerof a larger screen, or expanded to an extended or full screen display.In some instances, the format of the display may be influenced by theratio of the number of items in the subset with qualifying priorities tothe display area available. In some embodiments, a multi-dimensionalaerial display may be configured to comprise a larger visual span than aflattened contextual display. A multi-dimensional aerial display mayshow items within a stable structure, and enable the user to highlightor select information objects when appropriate. A multi-dimensionalaerial display may be configured to retain the structure andconnectivity of particular objects or contents and in other instances amulti-dimensional aerial display may be configured to display theconcepts for arrangement by the user. A multi-dimensional aerial displaymay benefit from screen space, allowing the larger architecture of aconcept or the connectivity of information objects in a virtual monocleto be viewed as a larger landscape or topography.

A flattened contextual display and a multi-dimensional aerial displaymay be juxtaposed in different ways. They may be shown side-by-side on asplit screen. They may alternate on a full screen. A flattenedcontextual display may be shown as a small rectangle or other shapedregion in the corner of an image. A flattened contextual display canappear on the screen while the larger multi-dimensional aerial displayappears in virtual reality. A flattened contextual display may appear inthe lower foreground of a virtual reality view that focuses on an itemselected in a multi-dimensional aerial display.

A flattened contextual display may present information about concepts ina pop-up style format for users to gain more detailed insight into thecontent. The combination of a multi-dimensional aerial display and aflattened contextual display allows a user to review the topography andrelational organization of information, as well as the specific detailsand relational content of information objects. Virtual monocles may beset to display information objects with respect to given variables, forexample as a function of time.

An object or item may be selected either in a flattened contextualdisplay or a multi-dimensional aerial display, resulting in the objector item also being selected in the other view. An object or item can beexpanded in either view, and when this is done its sub-objects and rangeof connections may be emphasized in both views. A flattened contextualdisplay may be configured to provide a prioritized view of a knowledgebase, and to facilitate navigation from any selected object down intoits sub-objects or out into the expanded network directly connected tothat object. A flattened contextual display may extract and presentrelevant material for display while excluding other elements that mightbe nearby but are not included in the relevant material. Amulti-dimensional aerial display may highlight the same selectedindividual or set of items without changing their positions within theoverall display. In further embodiments, a virtual monocle may beconfigured such that navigation through a multi-dimensional aerialdisplay may be possible from multiple perspectives, orientations, orviews. For example, a user may view the items from any outsideperspective or surrounded by it, but when a viewer enters into theexpanded network of an item only that network may be visible. Whilenavigating through either display a user may have the option to jump tothe same position in the other view e.g. if in a multi-dimensionalaerial display then jump to a flattened contextual display, and thencontinue navigating. A user may insert a new object in either display,and both displays may be updated to position the new object accordingly.

In some instances, a multi-dimensional aerial display and a flattenedcontextual display may comprise complementary features. Amulti-dimensional aerial display may present a broader range of itemsallowing one or more components, including a set of components, to behighlighted, in the setting of their position within the overalldisplay. Expansion of a selected item may occur in a flattenedcontextual display, where a flattened contextual display extractsrelevant material for display while excluding other elements that mightbe nearby but are not included in the relevant material. When a usernavigates through a multi-dimensional aerial display, the user may enterinto the structure and be surrounded by it, but when a viewer zooms outonly the expanded network may be visible. A user navigating througheither display may have the option to jump to the same position in adifferent view (e.g. from a multi-dimensional aerial display to aflattened contextual display or vice versa) and continue navigating. Auser can insert a new object in either display, and the other display, amulti-dimensional aerial display or a flattened contextual display, maybe updated to position the new object properly or in an equivalentlocation.

FIG. 3 depicts a virtual monocle interface system as described hereinwith a combined multi-dimensional aerial display and flattenedcontextual displays. A multi-dimensional aerial display (300), as alsodepicted in FIG. 1, facilitates the presentation of the overallarchitecture and topography of information objects representing content,and the connectivity between the information objects. In this depiction,there are two large heavily weighted information objects, object “1”(305) and object “2” (310). Less heavily weighted information objects“3,” “4,” “5,” “6,” and “7” (320) are also represented with theircorresponding edges connected to heavily weighted information objects“1” (305) and “2” (310), which are connected with an edge (315) as well.In this embodiment, a multi-dimensional aerial display takes up amajority of the screen. Object “1” (305) is selected and thushighlighted, while the remaining concepts are not highlighted. Theflattened contextual display is presented in the upper right-hand cornerof the screen (325). The flattened contextual display in this embodimentcomprises two boxes, one that presents detailed information regardingthe object highlighted in a multi-dimensional aerial display, object “1”(335), and a second box, which is more recessed, that presentsinformation regarding the largest most strongly weighted object in amulti-dimensional aerial display, object “2” (310). The most prominentbox may be configured to present information regarding the objecthighlighted in a multi-dimensional aerial display, and the recessed boxmay comprise information that is selected from any components depictedin a multi-dimensional aerial display, information that is selected fromcomponents not depicted in a multi-dimensional aerial display, orinformation from outside resources, previous sessions, or other sourcesof content. The information depicted in the recessed screen may beselected based on user settings or automatically selected based oncontent or information provided by the user or extracted from outsidesources.

A virtual monocle may be rendered on any sized screen, of any electronicdevice (e.g. mobile device, tablet, computer monitor, laptop monitor,desktop monitor, television). In some instances, it may be rendered onmultiple screens and/or on multiple devices (340). A user may usegestures, touch, forces of touch, rate of touch, mouse movements orclicks, joysticks, arrows, or other means of moving networks,sub-networks, information objects or other components around.

A user may be able to dynamically interact with the different componentsof the planes depicted in free space. In a multi-dimensional aerialdisplay or a flattened contextual display, structure may be oriented,rotated, moved, stretched, shrunk or otherwise structurally manipulated.As shown in FIG. 4, a user may be able to view concepts that are notconnected or are shown without connections (410), and use gestures,touch, a mouse, keyboard or other means to swirl (415) or move theconcepts around. The term “swirl” is used here to define a gesture thatresults in the movement or motion of objects, for example similar to theway ice cubes could be swirled around in a drink. In some instances, theconcepts or information objects may be represented in a virtual realityenvironment as 3D information objects or in 2.5D with a background orshadowing that illustrates the dimensionality (405). A user may click onany of the information objects or edges and review information orcontent related to the information object in a flattened contextualdisplay. Examples of information that may be depicted in this formatinclude events that occurred over time.

A virtual monocle interface system may be configured to rendervisualized information on any sized screen, of any electronic device(e.g. mobile device, tablet, computer monitor, laptop monitor, desktopmonitor, television), or through any image generating device that maynot rely on a screen. In some instances, it may be rendered on multiplescreens and/or on multiple devices (420). A user may use gestures,touch, forces of touch, rate of touch, mouse movements or clicks,joysticks, arrows, or other means of moving networks, sub-networks,information objects or other components around.

A virtual monocle interface system may provide multiple perspectivedisplays. The disclosed virtual monocle may comprise one, or both of twoprimary perspective displays: a dimensional aerial display and aflattened contextual display. These two displays may provide visualrepresentations or perspectives that enable users to organize complexityin an orderly way and to navigate through complexity. There may be twodifferent views because they support different mental/visual functions.In some instances, they may solve the challenge of displaying complexityin a small display space using different complementary strategies, andin further embodiments a virtual monocle may be configured toalternating between strategies. A dimensional aerial display may showitems within a stable structure, highlighting selected items of thatstructure when appropriate. In some instances, a dimensional aerialdisplay may show these items without changing their arrangement. Adimensional aerial display may benefit from larger screen space, becausethe structures (e.g. information objects or networks of informationobjects) that are shown may be more clearly seen. A flattened contextualdisplay may have various formats, ranging from compact (for acell-phone) or the corner of a larger screen, to a larger form factorsuitable for full-screen mode. The flattened contextual display formatmay be influenced by the quantity of information objects or theconnectivity among them. For example, the number of items in the subsetand/or qualifying priorities of the content may impact the area allottedfor a flattened contextual display.

A dimensional aerial display may comprise a planar display, withsub-objects of a larger body of information presented as informationobjects within a plane that represents the body of information, as shownin FIG. 5A. Information objects representing one concept may be depictedon one single plane and information objects representing another conceptmay be depicted on a second plane, edges may be used to depictconnections between information objects shared between planes. In theplanar display, information or concepts may optionally be interpreted orpresented as an image of multi-dimensional information objects (510)embedded in one or more planar layers (505), wherein each layerrepresents a form of relational information e.g. one body or set ofcontent. In alternative embodiments, which do not use a planar display,the connectivity between dimensional information objects may be shownusing lines, spatial organization and/or other means as shown in FIG.5B. In FIG. 5B the information objects comprise pyramidal shapes ofdifferent sizes (515) connected through edges or lines. Some of thepyramidal shapes are colored or shaded (520) to signify features of thecontent or information represented by the object.

Information objects depicted in a dimensional aerial display may benumbered, as shown in FIG. 5B with the numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6)located above the objects at the top of the screen. Numbers, includingreference numbers that may function as references to content in aflattened contextual display, may hover as multi-dimensional elementsabove the information objects to which they correspond. Numbers e.g.reference numbers may float within the information objects or beconnected with the information objects using lines. Numbers (530),letters, titles, descriptors, images, icons, colors, shadingdifferences, or other features of the object or labels applied to theobject may be used to reference information objects represented in adimensional aerial display with content (535) or information representedin a flattened contextual display (540).

A dimensional aerial display or a flattened contextual display maycomprise information objects connected through edges, which allowconcepts with one or more components to be compared with a relatedconcept that also comprises one or more components. Edges, as shown bynumbered edges 1, 2, 3 and 4 in FIG. 5A and labeled edges (525) in FIG.5B may be used to connect related content between different planes.Edges may comprise lines or vectors may visibly connect one or moreinformation objects together into a relational network of information,and/or information objects on the same surface, plane or dimensionalstructures.

Cityscape Interface

Virtual monocle interface systems may present information objects in anystructural format that appeals to the user, such as the buildings in atraditional town, the rooms of a cruise liner or resort hotel, or thetowering skyscrapers of a city, In the cityscape format, as depicted inFIG. 6, cityscapes may comprise buildings (605) with floors (610). Thebuildings may represent larger bodies of information, where informationcontent comprises one or more sub-objects that may be arranged as floorsor layers of the building. The orientation of the layers or floorswithin the building may be arranged in an order that represents arelationship between objects and the sub-objects of the larger body ofinformation. In some instances, the sequence or order of informationrepresented by the floors within each building may be established by theuser, or through user settings. In alternative instances, the sequenceor order of information represented by the floors within each buildingmay be established randomly or through a pre-set mathematical equationor relationship. In some instances, the height of the building may becorrelated with the number of floors and/or the amount of sub-objectscontained within the larger information object.

A virtual monocle interface system may comprise a cityscape feature thatallows users to build content or information into a city or cities. Acityscape may display content in the form of a skyscraper, towers, andbuildings with multiple floors. The virtual monocle may present selectedinformation or content by placing it in information objects representedwithin the city. Cityscapes may comprise a two-dimensional format (620),two-and-one-half dimensional, or three-dimensional (615) formats. Insome instances, a three dimensional or two-and-one-half dimensionalformat may be represented in a dimensional aerial display (615), and atwo-dimensional format may be presented as part of a flattenedcontextual display. Users may be able to select buildings or floorsrepresented in a dimensional aerial display and view the selectedcomponent in a two-dimensional format with information as presented inFIG. 3, with the two-dimensional representation (620) on one part of thescreen and information about a selected building or floor on anotherpart of the screen. A dimensional aerial display may comprise a buildingor floors that may be selected such that information or detailsregarding the information represented by the information object arepresented in a flattened contextual display, as presented in FIG. 2.

A user may build a custom virtual city, or select from one or moreexisting cities. In instances where a user builds a custom city, theuser may elect the proportions or scale of the information objects (e.g.building, floors, roads, etc); this may allow the user to establish adynamic range for analyzing a set of content that is particularlyrelevant to a particular feature or variable, and/or to examine theparticular subset of concepts that are important to the selected range.

A cityscape may comprise information objects, and a user may elect todisplay one or more information objects within the cityscape usingbuildings or features that exist in any number of cities around theworld, to represent specific content or information. Examples ofbuildings or city features that may be user selected may include wellknown landmarks (e.g. the tower of London, Empire State Building, EiffelTower, etc.). A virtual monocle system may organize and assemble userselected content such that it is normalized to the respective size ofthe building or buildings selected by the user.

The cityscape may be dynamically activated to create an engaging displayfor the user. For example, the user may elect to highlight a particularfeature of the data, (e.g. the time at which a particular eventoccurred), and information object or information sub-objects related tothe particular feature (e.g. the time) may produce a visually engagingaction (e.g. light up, flash, or perform some other detectableresponse). In some embodiments, a user may walk, drive, float, fly oruse other means of transportation to move through the cityscape. Whilemoving through the cityscape, the user may click or engage with thecontent using a flattened contextual display. A flattened contextualdisplay may provide details relevant to the one or more informationobjects, including information objects that have been selected by theuser. Collectively, the dynamic features may provide the user with atool or tools for illustrating the connectivity between differentinformation objects (e.g. buildings) or sub-objects (e.g. floors) anddisplaying the content interactively between complementary yet distinctand different interfaces and devices. A user may “build” a cityscapefrom his/her preferences. For example, the user may create a city planthat represents the aspects of the user's life that the user wishes toobtain new information about. For example, the user may construct askyscraper, with multiple floors each representing an aspect of theuser's work life. For example, if the user is a technology executive ata semiconductor manufacturing plant, then the user may arrange theskyscraper such that different domains of the user's work interests arepresented as individual floors. The user may have floors that representmanufacturing, semiconductor industry, management, leadership,governance, and semiconductor stock performance, and each may beconfigured to receive news items relevant to that floor from newssources that the user is interested in. Within a given floor the usermay create other information objects that can be arranged, with eachinformation object representing different aspects of the contentrelevant to the particular floor. The user may modulate the size, shape,identity, or other aspects of the information object, allowing the userto indicate the degree of personal significance of the informationobject. Within the same city, a user may construct a house, which canrepresent an information object. The house may comprise rooms, and therooms may represent various interests of the user relating to his or herfamily. For example, if the user has children and the user is interestedin the performance of their children's sports teams, the user maysubscribe to news feeds that provide that information, and representsuch information in the virtual monocle interface system in rooms ofbuildings or houses.

Dynamic Display of Contextual Information

A virtual monocle may have multiple options for dynamic display ofrelated contextual information in response to a context or request forcontext established by the user. A context may specify a subset ofinformation objects or sub-objects to be examined. A request for contextmay take advantage of specific contexts defined in the dataset,knowledge base, or elsewhere in the virtual monocle interface system. Arequest for context may also involve a search for a term or image, afiltering request that selects for certain attributes while ruling outother attributes, a sorting request that orders items to bring the mostrelevant items to the top, or an advanced request that combines sorting,filtering and sorting operations in a predetermined sequence and makesprovision for logical operations on the information. The dynamicresponse takes place in the dimensional aerial display, and makesvisible for examination and access information sub-objects that satisfythe request while preserving the positioning of the informationsub-objects within the structures of information objects. The threepanels in FIG. 7 illustrate one embodiment of dynamic response, withfour steps. In the first step, information objects that containspecified or requested information sub-objects are brought into theforeground. In the second step, the information objects open up orbecome transparent so that the requested sub-objects become visible andaccessible. In the third step, local contexts of requested sub-objectsbecome visible and directly accessible. During these first three steps,the positioning of the sub-objects within their information objects ispreserved, so that the structural properties of the information objectssuch as sequences in time or proximity in space can be exploited in theusual ways. Finally, in the fourth step structural properties of theinformation objects become invisible, so that complex interrelationshipsamong information items can be clearly displayed.

FIG. 7A illustrates an aerial display in examination mode. The figureillustrates the first two steps in dynamic response to a request forcontextual information by the user. In an example, the user mayinitially select information object 1 (715) and request contextinformation related to the information object 1. The context informationrequest relating to that information object 1 can be satisfied by thedisplay of information objects 2 and 3 (720). These information objectsare found as sub-objects within two respective information objects,wherein the two information objects are displayed as cityscape towers.The first step in selective examination mode is to relocate these twoinformation objects into the foreground (705). The second step inselective examination mode is to open up the structure (e.g., thecityscape towers) and contents of the information objects so that eachinformation sub-object is visible and accessible. An opening (710) forthe selected information object 1 may disclose the informationsub-object within (715) another structure. Opening may refer toexposing, highlighting, or displaying an information object, which canpart of another information object. In the given example, an opening inthe cityscape tower structure exposes the information object 1, which isinternally located within the tower structure. Also, openings for therelated sub-objects disclose the other information objects (720).Connections (725) between the selected information object 1 and therelated information objects 2 and 3 depict the relationship betweenthem, as determined by the user's context request.

FIG. 7B illustrates the third step, an aerial display in selectivecontextual examination mode. Selective contextual examination can extendselective examination. Selective contextual examination can be a dynamicresponse to a user's request to examine and access local context. Theopening expands (730) to depict the local context (735) for eachselected information sub-object. Local context includes relatedinformation sub-objects (740) and connections (745) linking relatedsub-objects to the selected sub-object. The nature of the context may ormay not be strictly hierarchical, and there is no requirement for astrict hierarchy (a tree-structure or linear outline) in the dimensionalaerial display. For example, a sub-object (750) may be relevant in thecontexts of two selected information sub-objects, and two relatedsub-objects within a context may be directly connected to one another(755).

FIG. 7C illustrates an aerial display in contextual cohesion mode. Theuser may request this mode in order to inactivate the display ofstructural positioning within information objects, so that the displayfocuses on context alone and is determined by the coherence amongcontexts (at any time the user can reactivate structural positioningwithin information objects). In an embodiment, contextual cohesion modeis depicted as a foreground display (760). Additional informationincludes connections between local contexts (765) as well as relatedinformation objects (770) that reside in information objects other thanthe two original depicted (705). Contextual cohesion mode isparticularly useful when the various connections among contexts arecomplex or when overlapping contexts bring in information sub-objectsfrom various disparate information objects.

Data Retrieval and Engagement

A virtual monocle may have multiple options for retrieving andpresenting information stored in a database or databases, and may moreexpansively inform and educate the end user about the informationrelated to a query generated by the user. A dimensional aerial displayor a flattened contextual display may comprise a plurality ofinformation objects, such that each information object may be selectedby the user. The user may select two information objects, whereupon adimensional aerial display or a flattened contextual display mayvisually or audibly present to the user the relationships andconnections existing between the two selected information objects. Insome instances, both connectors (edges) and information objects mayappear in response to user selection. In some instances, selecting oneor more information objects or edges connecting information objects, mayresult in display of a phrase, an identifying image, an icon with ashape on which the label appears, a screen with text descriptions,and/or a screen with image and text descriptions. In some instances,when a network of information objects is very large and informationobjects and connectors within the network reach a threshold, then theforeground may display results, and a subset of qualified informationobjects may be cycled through in the background. In further embodiments,items within the network that have lesser priority may appear for ashorter time and/or in a less significant way.

When an object is selected from a flattened contextual display, thedisplay may open to depict a full network of connections, which extendaway from the selected information object like a network or web. Thissame network may be simultaneously displayed in a dimensional aerialdisplay, but indicated by highlighting without changing positionrelative to a dimensional aerial display as a whole.

Desktop Integration and Browser Plug-Ins

A virtual monocle may be integrated into a desktop working environment,and/or applications including, but not limited to, mobile applications,desktop applications, web browser plugins, and the like. FIG. 8illustrates a desktop monitor (810) with a working desktop environment(815) and application icons (820). In the lower right-hand corner of thescreen is a flattened contextual display (840) with content anddescription (845) for selected information objects (850) also depictedin the flattened contextual display. In this embodiment, a dimensionalaerial and a flattened contextual display may be run from an applicationrunning on the operating system of the desktop computer. A dimensionalaerial and a flattened contextual display may comprise a website browserplugin (830). Website browsers tool bar (825) that make use of theplug-in may include Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari,or any other website browser tool. The plugin may be integrated into aweb browser for navigation through websites in the World Wide Web.Content viewed in the website browser window (835) may be selected andsaved or stored within a directory, on a hard drive, or on a clouddrive, for viewing and interaction within a dimensional aerial or aflattened contextual display. In other instances, a plug-in may be usedto automatically track or record the history of the websites visited bythe user in real time. In further embodiments, the website history maybe dynamically represented as information objects in a flattenedcontextual display (840) in the desktop or mobile environment. In otherinstances, a past web history may be uploaded from a directory and theinformation may be displayed in the form of information objects in adimensional aerial or a flattened contextual display.

A virtual monocle may be rendered on any sized screen of any electronicdevice (e.g., mobile device, tablet, computer monitor, laptop monitor,desktop monitor, television). In some instances, it may be rendered onmultiple screens and/or on multiple devices (810). A user may usegestures, touch, forces of touch, rate of touch, mouse movements orclicks, joysticks, arrows, or other means of motion to move, arrange, ormanipulate networks, sub-networks, information objects or othercomponents.

Virtual Monocle for Fictionalized Historical Events

A virtual monocle may be configured for representing historical eventsand fictionalized historical events. FIG. 9 illustrates the use ofplanes (905) to present the relationships between key events. Forexample, the key events may be fictional events such as events inShakespeare's plays like Richard III and/or historical, non-fictionalevents. Referring to FIG. 8, historical events (910) can be presented asinformation objects on one plane (i.e., bottom plane) that operatesparallel to a plane comprising information events that Shakespearecreated (915) (i.e., top plane). Edges are illustrated as linesconnecting information objects between the two parallel planes. Theedges are numbered e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and these numbers may beused to reference information provided in another display such as aflattened contextual display. A time axis (920) can also be presented,indicating the temporal significance of the orientation and sequence ofthe information objects (910, 915) with respect to each other withintheir planes. The information objects may be arranged such that theyappear closer to the viewer or further from the viewer. A user mayattach significance to the additional depth information (i.e.,additional dimension). Edges may or may not affect the arrangement ofinformation objects, depending on whether the information objects haveor do not have fixed positions in their planes, and also depending onwhether edges connecting objects may obscure the view of some objectsunless some objects are relocated.

Computer Control Systems

The present disclosure provides computer control systems that areprogrammed to implement methods of the disclosure. FIG. 10 shows acomputer system (1001) applicable to one or more devices describedherein, wherein the device can be programmed or otherwise configured tocollect content from various sources, e.g., databases, cloud, serversetc., and present the content as information objects. The computersystem (1001) can regulate various aspects of the processing, rendering,and presentation of the content such that the user may interact with,organize, and/or access the content. In some embodiments, the system maycomprise software and hardware components that compile and render thecontent through a graphical user interface or as described herein. Thecomputer system (1001) can be an electronic device of a user or acomputer system that is remotely located with respect to the electronicdevice. The electronic device can be a mobile electronic device.

The computer system (1001) includes a central processing unit (CPU, also“processor” and “computer processor” herein) (1005), which can be asingle core or multi core processor, or a plurality of processors forparallel processing. The computer system (1001) also includes memory ormemory location (1010) (e.g., random-access memory, read-only memory,flash memory), electronic storage unit (1015) (e.g., hard disk),communication interface (1020) (e.g., network adapter) for communicatingwith one or more other systems, and peripheral devices (1025), such ascache, other memory, data storage and/or electronic display adapters.The memory (1010), storage unit (1015), interface (1020) and peripheraldevices (1025) are in communication with the CPU (1005) through acommunication bus (solid lines), such as a motherboard. The storage unit(1015) can be a data storage unit (or data repository) for storing data.The computer system (1001) can be operatively coupled to a computernetwork (“network”) (1030) with the aid of the communication interface(1020). The network (1030) can be the Internet, an internet and/orextranet, or an intranet and/or extranet that is in communication withthe Internet. The network (1030) in some cases is a telecommunicationand/or data network. The network (1030) can include one or more computerservers, which can enable distributed computing, such as cloudcomputing. The network (1030), in some cases with the aid of thecomputer system (1001), can implement a peer-to-peer network, which mayenable devices coupled to the computer system (1001) to behave as aclient or a server.

The CPU (1005) can execute a sequence of machine-readable instructions,which can be embodied in a program or software. The instructions may bestored in a memory location, such as the memory (1010). The instructionscan be directed to the CPU (1005), which can subsequently program orotherwise configure the CPU (1005) to implement methods of the presentdisclosure. Examples of operations performed by the CPU (1005) caninclude fetch, decode, execute, and writeback.

The CPU (1005) can be part of a circuit, such as an integrated circuit.One or more other components of the system (1001) can be included in thecircuit. In some cases, the circuit is an application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC).

The storage unit (1015) can store files, such as drivers, libraries andsaved programs. The storage unit (1015) can store user data, e.g., userpreferences and user programs. The computer system (1001) in some casescan include one or more additional data storage units that are externalto the computer system (1001), such as located on a remote server thatis in communication with the computer system (1001) through an intranetor the Internet.

The computer system (1001) can communicate with one or more remotecomputer systems through the network (1030). For instance, the computersystem (1001) can communicate with a remote or mounted computer systemof a user (e.g., a VR enabled device, or Head Mounted Display (HMD)).Examples of remote computer systems include personal computers (e.g.,portable PC), slate or tablet PC's (e.g., Apple® iPad, Samsung® GalaxyTab), telephones, Smart phones (e.g., Apple® iPhone, Android-enableddevice, Blackberry®), Smart watches (e.g., Apple® Watch, Samsung® GalaxyGear), or personal digital assistants. The user can access the computersystem (1001) via the network (1030).

Methods as described herein can be implemented by way of machine (e.g.,computer processor) executable code stored on an electronic storagelocation of the computer system (1001), such as, for example, on thememory (1010) or electronic storage unit (1015). The machine executableor machine-readable code can be provided in the form of software. Duringuse, the code can be executed by the processor (1005). In some cases,the code can be retrieved from the storage unit (1015) and stored on thememory (1010) for ready access by the processor (1005). In somesituations, the electronic storage unit (1015) can be precluded, andmachine-executable instructions are stored on memory (1010).

The code can be pre-compiled and configured for use with a machinehaving a processer adapted to execute the code, or can be compiledduring runtime. The code can be supplied in a programming language thatcan be selected to enable the code to execute in a pre-compiled oras-compiled fashion.

Aspects of the systems and methods provided herein, such as the computersystem (1001), can be embodied in programming. Various aspects of thetechnology may be thought of as “products” or “articles of manufacture”typically in the form of machine (or processor) executable code and/orassociated data that is carried on or embodied in a type of machinereadable medium. Machine-executable code can be stored on an electronicstorage unit, such as memory (e.g., read-only memory, random-accessmemory, flash memory) or a hard disk. “Storage” type media can includeany or all of the tangible memory of the computers, processors or thelike, or associated modules thereof, such as various semiconductormemories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may providenon-transitory storage at any time for the software programming. All orportions of the software may at times be communicated through theInternet or various other telecommunication networks. Suchcommunications, for example, may enable loading of the software from onecomputer or processor into another, for example, from a managementserver or host computer into the computer platform of an applicationserver. Thus, another type of media that may bear the software elementsincludes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as usedacross physical interfaces between local devices, through wired andoptical landline networks and over various air-links. The physicalelements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, opticallinks or the like, also may be considered as media bearing the software.As used herein, unless restricted to non-transitory, tangible “storage”media, terms such as computer or “machine-readable medium” refer to anymedium that participates in providing instructions to a processor forexecution.

Hence, a machine-readable medium, such as computer-executable code, maytake many forms, including but not limited to, a tangible storagemedium, a carrier wave medium or physical transmission medium.Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magneticdisks, such as any of the storage devices in any computer(s) or thelike, such as may be used to implement the databases, etc. shown in thedrawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, such as mainmemory of such a computer platform. Tangible transmission media includecoaxial cables; copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires thatcomprise a bus within a computer system. Carrier-wave transmission mediamay take the form of electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic orlight waves such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) andinfrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readablemedia therefore include, for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk,hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD orDVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards paper tape, any otherphysical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a ROM, a PROM andEPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wavetransporting data or instructions, cables or links transporting such acarrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer may readprogramming code and/or data. Many of these forms of computer readablemedia may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or moreinstructions to a processor for execution.

The computer system (1001) can include or be in communication with anelectronic display (1035) that comprises a user interface (UI) (1040)for providing, for example, a dimensional aerial and/or a flattenedcontextual display as described herein. The user interface may also beconfigured to visualize information in a cityscape format. The UIelements may include one or more information objects, edges, lines,arrows, buildings, structures, geometric shapes, and any other elementsthat are described herein. Examples of UI's include, without limitation,a graphical user interface (GUI) and web-based user interface.

Methods and systems of the present disclosure can be implemented by wayof one or more algorithms. An algorithm can be implemented by way ofsoftware upon execution by the central processing unit (1005). Thealgorithm can, for example, calculate or estimate relationships betweeninformation objects and render the objects into spatial relationshipswherein the distances or other features of the information objects orinformation object organization are related to the relationships betweeninformation objects or content represented by the information object.The algorithm may also be implemented to update one or more visualizedinformation based on user input or feedback.

FIG. 11 illustrates a virtual monocle interface system comprising a headmounted display (1105). A head mounted display may comprise a mobiledevice configured as a unit for displaying content to the user (1110). Ahead mounted display may operate as a virtual reality (VR) headset oraugmented reality (AR) headset that renders content as three-dimensionalobjects (1115) in a VR/AR environment (1120). The user (1110) maynavigate the VR environment, and three-dimensional images or informationobjects may be part of the VR environment and appear to be life-sizedfrom the perspective of the user. The VR-enabled system may be able totrack a user's motions—head or eye movements—and correspondingly adjustthe images of the user's display to reflect the change in perspective.The user may engage with the three-dimensional objects (1115) or images,wherein the three-dimensional objects (1115) are part of the VRenvironment viewable by the user via the HMD (1105). User engagement inthis VR environment may comprise orienting, stretching, navigating,manipulating, or selecting objects. User may select information objectsand view displayed content or relationships. In some instances, the usermay orient or change the arrangement of content by selecting a sharedfeature of the data and having the information objects rearrange orreorient as a result of the relative relationship between theinformation objects and the feature. User engagement in the VRenvironment may be registered and impact or affect the display ofinformation objects or contents on other devices, including useroperated mobile devices (e.g. iPad, iPhones, electronic tablets) (1125)and computer monitors, televisions or other large screen displays(1130). For example, the virtual monocle interface system may comprise aVR HMD and a mobile device, wherein the VR HMD may operate as the mainscreen and the mobile device may operate as a secondary screen. Themobile device may be configured to capture one or more aspects of the VRenvironment based on the user's interaction with the environment. Forexample, if the user is interested in a certain information objectwithin the VR environment (e.g., interested in the object 1015), thenthe user may indicate such interest with one or more gestures, and theinformation object may be presented on the mobile device (1125) forlater viewing or record keeping purposes.

In some instances, a user may use a VR enabled device to render thevirtual monocle display. A VR enabled device may comprise an alteredreality or VR enabled system. A VR enabled system or VR enabled devices(1105) may comprise any device or system comprising one or more featuresfor head tracking, motion tracking, or eye tracking. A VR enabled systemmay comprise a head mounted display (HMD) with a device comprising a VRenabled virtual monocle. The virtual monocle may be configured toprocess information from external hardware or devices, or sensorcontaining objects, including sensors or sensory input from VR enabledparaphernalia including head gear, goggles, gloves, suits, and othersensor containing units. A virtual monocle may also be configured foruse with sensory enhancing devices or components, including headphones.

A virtual monocle system may comprise two or more screens and/or devicesusing a 3D hierarchical display of information using two screens (1200and 1300). FIG. 12 illustrates a virtual monocle system comprising twouser interfaces. In some embodiments, a first user interface comprises alarger screen (e.g., a monitor (1205)), which is part of a first device,and a second user interface comprises a smaller screen (e.g., a mobiledevice screen (1215)), which is part of second device. The first userinterface can display a network of information objects in a dimensionalaerial display (1210), and the second user interface (1215) may beoriented relative to the first user interface at a distance such thatonly a portion (1220) of the information objects displayed on the firstuser interface is in focus (1225). The information objects in focus maybe presented or organized on the second user interface in a way that isdistinct from how it is presented or organized in the first userinterface. Gestures may be used to select, on the smaller screen (1215),a sub-network (1220) of the dimensional aerial display presented on thelarger screen (1205). Gestures may include, but not limited to, tapping,sliding, swiping, turning, waving, or other means for engaging with theuser interface or the device.

In some embodiments, the camera of a mobile device may be used to selecta sub-network or one or more information objects. The position,distance, or orientation of the second device or the second userinterface may be used to select a sub-network or one or more informationobjects from the first user interface. Selection of a sub-network (1220)on the mobile device (A) or on a larger screen or monitor (B) e.g. froma laptop television or other device, may result in display of thecontextual information for the selected sub-network or informationobject as a flattened contextual display on the mobile device or otherscreen. The flattened contextual display may show details includingwritten words or information (1230) as well as a diagram of the localcontextual information (1235) for the selected sub-network orinformation object. In other embodiments, the flattened contextualdisplay may be shown on a larger screen or monitor and the dimensionalaerial display may be presented on a smaller screen (e.g. the smallerscreen of a mobile device). In further embodiments, a user may be ableto swap screens; for example, the user may first display the flattenedcontextual display on a larger screen or monitor and the dimensionalaerial display on a smaller screen (e.g. a mobile device screen), thenusing one or more gestures, buttons, commands, or other means the usermay be able to switch the display such that the dimensional aerialdisplay is on a larger screen and the flattened contextual display is ona smaller screen.

FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment of the virtual monocle system(1300), wherein the dimensional aerial display (1320) is presented onboth (1315) the larger screen (1305) (e.g. of a laptop screen, desktopmonitor, television), and the smaller screen (1310) of a mobile device.In this example, the zoom is not used on any of the devices. Instead, auser may select (e.g. mouse click, touch, gestures including flicking orother means of selecting) a sub-network (1325) or information object onone of the screens or devices (e.g., the larger screen (C) or thesmaller screen (B)) and information for the selected sub-network orinformation object may be displayed in a flattened contextual display.For example, the user may select, based on one or more gestures (e.g.,rotating the mobile devices (1310)), to view the flattened contextualdisplay of the information object (1330), instead of themulti-dimensional view (1325). The flattened contextual display may havewritten details (1330) regarding the sub-network or information object(1335) as well as a depiction of the local connectivity of theinformation objects.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatsuch embodiments are provided by way of example only. It is not intendedthat the invention be limited by the specific examples provided withinthe specification. While the invention has been described with referenceto the aforementioned specification, the descriptions and illustrationsof the embodiments herein are not meant to be construed in a limitingsense. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur tothose skilled in the art without departing from the invention.Furthermore, it shall be understood that all aspects of the inventionare not limited to the specific depictions, configurations or relativeproportions set forth herein which depend upon a variety of conditionsand variables. It should be understood that various alternatives to theembodiments of the invention described herein may be employed inpracticing the invention. It is therefore contemplated that theinvention shall also cover any such alternatives, modifications,variations or equivalents. It is intended that the following claimsdefine the scope of the invention and that methods and structures withinthe scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method for visualizing astructured, multi-dimensional dataset on multiple display units,comprising: (a) receiving, from a database, datasets according to a userrequest, the datasets comprising a plurality of information objects,wherein the plurality of information objects are a set of records linkedor related using a mathematical relationship defined in amulti-dimensional space and wherein each information object comprisesstructured data including sub-objects; (b) displaying, on a firstgraphical user interface of a first device, a first visualization of theplurality of information objects; (c) determining, by one or moreprocessors, which subset of the plurality of information objects to bedisplayed on a second graphical user interface based at least on userinformation, user inputs, and information obtained from the first deviceand a second device, wherein the information comprises one or moremembers selected from the group consisting of a position, distance, andorientation of the second device with respect to the first device oncethe first device is connected to the second device; and (d) displaying,on the second graphical user interface of the second device, a secondvisualization of the subset of the information objects, the secondvisualization different in form from the first visualization.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first visualization is in athree-dimensional space.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the secondvisualization is in a two-dimensional space.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the first visualization or the second visualization is in avirtual reality environment.
 5. The method of claim 2, wherein theplurality of information objects are represented in thethree-dimensional space using aerial projections.
 6. The method of claim5, wherein the subset of the plurality of information objects arerepresented in a two-dimensional space, wherein the subset of theplurality of information objects are flattened into a two-dimensionalspace and additional contextual information related to the informationobjects are introduced on the second graphical user interface.
 7. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the information objects have differentgeometric shapes based at least on the type of the information, theimportance of the information, and user feedback or input.
 8. The methodof claim 7, wherein the geometric shapes comprise barrels, cones, cubes,cylinders, ellipsoids, polygons, and pyramids.
 9. The method of claim 5,wherein the more important information objects have larger sizedgeometric shapes compared to less important information objects.
 10. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the correlation among information objects isvisualized using edges, wherein the edges comprise lines or arrows. 11.The method of claim 5, wherein the information objects are repositionedand highlighted for visualization of contextual information.
 12. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the plurality of information objects arerepresented in a cityscape visual format, wherein each informationobject is represented by a building structure and the structured datawithin each information object is represented as floors of the buildingstructure.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first visualizationincludes building structures and the second visualization includesfloors.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first graphical userinterface is larger than the second graphical user interface.
 15. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the second device is a mobile device.
 16. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the first device is a head-mounted displayconfigured to project the plurality of objects in the virtualenvironment and wherein the subset of the plurality of informationobjects are determined based at least on the orientation andeye-movement of a user of the head-mounted display.
 17. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the second device is a head-mounted display configuredto project the subset of the plurality of objects in a virtualenvironment.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the information obtainedby the first device and the second device comprises orientation andmotion data, wherein the orientation and motion data is obtained fromsensors onboard the first device and second device.
 19. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the dataset further comprises a context array, thecontext array comprising data on the user including the user's identity,historic activity, and preferences, and wherein the first visualizationand the second visualization are based at least on the context array.20. The method of claim 1, wherein the user inputs comprise gestures.21. The method of claim 20, wherein the gestures comprise tap,double-tap, drag, pinch, press, swipe.
 22. A virtual monocle interfacesystem for visualizing information, comprising: a database configured tostore a plurality of information objects, wherein the plurality ofinformation objects are a set of records linked or related using amathematical relationship defined in a multi-dimensional space andwherein each information object comprises structured data includingsub-objects; a first device comprising a first graphics user interface;a second device comprising a second graphical user interface; and one ormore processors in communication with a computer readable medium storingsoftware instructions that are executable by the one or more processorsin order to cause the virtual monocle interface system to: receive, fromthe database, the plurality of information objects corresponding to auser request; display, on the first graphical user interface of thefirst device, a first visualization of the plurality of informationobjects; determine, by the one or more processors, which subset of theplurality of information objects to be displayed on the second graphicaluser interface based at least on user information, user inputs, andinformation obtained from the first device and the second device,wherein the information comprises one or more members selected from thegroup consisting of a position, distance, and orientation of the seconddevice with respect to the first device once the first device isconnected to the second device; and display, on the second graphicaluser interface of the second device, a second visualization of thesubset of the information objects, the second visualization different inform from the first visualization.
 23. The system of claim 22, whereinthe first visualization is in a three-dimensional space.
 24. The systemof claim 23, wherein the second visualization is in a two-dimensionalspace.
 25. The system of claim 22, wherein the first visualization orthe second visualization are in a virtual reality environment.
 26. Thesystem of claim 23, wherein the plurality of information objects arerepresented in the three-dimensional space using aerial projections.